The penultimate edition of our season rewind looks back on March, a month where the Dons’ home form kept their slim play-off hopes alive.
Saturday 2nd March: MK Dons 1-1 Preston North End – npower League 1
MK Dons win-less run stretched to eight games after a 1-1 draw at home to Preston North End.
Karl Robinson’s side, who were buoyed ahead of kick-off with the news that Luke Chadwick had agreed a new two-year deal, went ahead after just two minutes when Adam Chicksen curled into the top corner from the edge of box.
The lead didn’t last long, however, as North End midfielder Will Hayhurst fired home from Lee Holmes’ cross just five minutes later to level.
The Dons had the better of a lacklustre second half, with Ryan Lowe blasting narrowly over from the edge of the box and loanee Chris Lines shaving the post with a free-kick late-on, but were unable to claim their first win in two months.
MK Dons (4-2-3-1): McLoughlin; Otsemobor (Bowditch 68), Kay, Williams, Lewington (c); Potter, Lines; Powell, Chadwick, Chicksen; Lowe (McLeod 90).
Subs not used: Kouo-Doumbe, Flanagan, Baldock, Rasulo.
Goals: Chicksen 2
Booked: Lewington, Chicksen, Powell
Sent off: None
Attendance: 8.412
League position: 12th
Tuesday 6th March: MK Dons 3-0 Doncaster Rovers – npower League 1
MK Dons thrashed League-leaders Doncaster Rovers 3-0 as they recorded their first victory in nine games.
Karl Robinson’s side, who hadn’t won in the League since the New Year’s Day, started brightly and almost took the lead through Dean Bowditch, who hit the post with a free-kick after Gary Woods pushed his effort onto the upright.
The Dons then deservedly opened the scoring just before the break when Woods parried Ryan Lowe’s drive into the path of substitute Izale McLeod and the Club’s leading goalscorer made no mistake in netting his first goal since re-joining from Portsmouth in January.
Doncaster created little throughout the game and they conceded a second shortly after the interval when Daniel Powell rifled home from the edge of the area on the day he put pen to paper on a new two-year deal.
The scoring was then completed when Stephen Gleeson, who came on as a late substitute having been out of action since December with a broken foot, smashed McLeod’s lay-off into the top corner with only his second touch.
MK Dons (4-2-3-1): McLoughlin; Chicksen, Kay, Williams, Lewington (c); Potter, Lines; Powell, Chadwick (McLeod 36), Bowditch (Kouo-Doumbe 74); Lowe (Gleeson 81).
Subs not used: Flanagan, Baldock, Rasulo.
Goals: McLeod 40, Powell 56, Gleeson 83
Booked: None
Sent off: None
Attendance: 6,804
League position: 12th
Saturday 9th March: Sheffield United 0-0 MK Dons – npower League 1
MK Dons continued their pursuit of a play-off place with a goalless draw away at automatic promotion-hopefuls Sheffield United.
Blades forward Jamie Murphy came close to giving the hosts the lead in the last minute of the first period but his header from Dave Kitson's cross went just over.
Antony Kay then flicked Dean Bowditch's free-kick narrowly off target for the visitors, who came into the game buoyant following their first win in nine League games.
Patrick Bamford had a penalty appeal turned down after coming on as a substitute while Jonathan Forte brought a fine save from Dons keeper Ian McLoughlin late on but neither side were able to break the deadlock as Karl Robinson’s side remained 10 points off the top six.
MK Dons (4-2-3-1): McLoughlin; Chicksen, Williams, Kay, Lewington (c); Potter, Lines; Powell (Kouo-Doumbe 31), Smith (Bamford 58), Bowditch; Lowe (Gleeson 68).
Subs not used: Otsemobor, McLeod, Flanagan, Baldock.
Goals: None
Booked: Bamford
Sent off: None
Attendance: 17,936 (385 away)
League position: 12th
Tuesday 12th March: MK Dons 2-3 Shrewsbury Town – npower League 1
MK Dons’ play-off hopes suffered a blow as they slipped to a shock 3-2 defeat to struggling Shrewsbury Town.
Tom Eaves' low shot gave Town the lead before the striker curled home a second to double their advantage inside 19 minutes.
Shrewsbury old boy Ryan Lowe pulled a goal back for the Dons, bundling in after Antony Kay's flick-on before he then made it 2-2 with a header from Shaun Williams' free-kick.
The visitors, though, won it when, completely against the run of play, Kay volleyed past his own goalkeeper on 69 minutes.
MK Dons (4-2-3-1): McLoughlin; Kouo-Doumbe (Gleeson 37), Kay, Williams, Lewington (c); Potter, Lines (Smith 82); Bowditch, Lowe, Chicksen; McLeod (Bamford 53).
Subs not used: Otsemobor, Flanagan, Baldock.
Goals: Lowe 27, 47
Booked: None
Sent off: None
Attendance: 6,622
League position: 13th
Saturday 16th March: MK Dons 3-0 Tranmere Rovers – npower League 1
MK Dons kept alive their slim League One play-off hopes with a comfortable victory over fellow promotion hopefuls Tranmere.
Dean Lewington nodded in a rebound to put the hosts ahead before Tranmere's Mamady Sidibe missed from six yards.
Stephen Gleeson then directed Shaun Williams' arrowed 60-yard pass into the bottom corner to give the Dons a two-goal advantage at half-time.
The Dons, who moved to within nine points of the top six with the victory, extended their lead to three goals in the second half when Darren Potter headed in after Williams' 22-yard free-kick had struck the bar.
MK Dons (4-2-3-1): McLoughlin; Chicksen, Kay, Williams, Lewington (Otsemobor 64); Potter, Lines; Bamford (Baldock 71), Gleeson (McLeod 71), Bowditch; Lowe.
Subs not used: Kouo-Doumbe, Smith.
Goals: Lewington 9, Gleeson 43, Potter 51
Booked: Kay, Chicksen
Sent off: None
Attendance: 9,682
League position: 12th
Tuesday 19th March: Crewe Alexandra 2-1 MK Dons – npower League 1
MK Dons’ poor form on the road continued after a 2-1 defeat at fellow play-off contenders Crewe Alexandra.
The Dons, who were denied an obvious penalty when Lowe's goalbound lob struck Mark Ellis's arm, led just past the half hour courtesy of Patrick Bamford's deft near-post header from Crewe old boy Ryan Lowe's precise right-wing cross.
The Alex, though, levelled just before the break when Pogba powered home a far-post header from Gregor Robertson's cross.
Pogba then pounced to win it before the Dons, who twice hit the woodwork through Shaun Williams and Chris Lines after the break, had Anthony Kay sent off.
MK Dons (4-2-3-1): McLoughlin; Otsemobor (Smith 85), Kay, Williams, Chicksen; Potter, Lines; Bamford, Lines, Bowditch (Baldock 64); Lowe (McLeod 69).
Subs not used: Kouo-Doumbe.
Goals: Bamford 31
Booked: Potter, Kay, Lines
Sent off: Kay 87
Attendance: 3,770 (143 away)
League position: 12th
Friday 29th March: Hartlepool United 0-2 MK Dons – npower League 1
MK Dons recorded their first away League victory in eight games thanks to goals from Patrick Bamford and Dean Bowditch.
With only seven minutes on the clock, Chelsea loanee Bamford skipped his way past the Pools defence to roll home his second goal in as many games and give the Dons the lead.
Bamford was then on the receiving end of a strong challenge from Pools midfielder Simon Walton which resulted in the latter being shown a straight red card.
Bowditch later sealed the comfortable victory when he curled home from 18 yards although Hartlepool were denied a consolation when Peter Hartley's shot beat the keeper but hit the post.
MK Dons (4-2-3-1): McLoughlin; Otsemobor, Kouo-Doumbe, Williams, Chicksen (Galloway 73); Potter, Gleeson; Bamford (Chadwick 59), Smith (Powell 56), Bowditch; Lowe.
Subs not used: Baldock, Lines.
Goals: Bamford 7, Bowditch 32
Booked: Bamford, Chicksen
Sent off: None
Attendance: 3,269 (157 away)
11thLeague position:
